EN    EN EN  
EN 1   EN  COMMISSION OF THE E UROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels,  
  
Draft 
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No …/.. 
of […] 
amending Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
relating to fertilisers for the purposes of ad apting Annexes I, III, IV and V thereto to 
technical progress  
EN 2   EN Draft 
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No …/.. 
of  
amending Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
relating to fertilisers for the purposes of ad apting Annexes I, III, IV and V thereto to 
technical progress 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty esta blishing the European Community, 
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of 13 October 2003 re lating to fertilisers1, and in particular Article 31(1) and (3) 
thereof, 
Whereas: (1) Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 pr ovides that a fertili ser belonging to a 
type of fertiliser lis ted in Annex I thereto and complyi ng with the conditions laid down 
in that Regulation may be designated “EC fertiliser”. 
(2) Partially solubilised rock phosphate is a primar y nutrient fertiliser type listed in Annex 
I to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003. Article 16 of  that Regulation permits the addition 
of secondary nutrients to all primary nutrien t fertiliser types. However, the minimum 
content of phosphorous pentox ide laid down for the existing partia lly solubilised 
phosphate rock fertiliser type is set too high to allow the a ddition of secondary 
nutrients. A new fertiliser type should ther efore be introduced to  allow mixtures of 
partially solubilised rock phosphate with  magnesium secondary nutrients to be 
marketed as “EC fertiliser”.  
(3) Magnesium sulphate or magnesium oxide  is added to ground phosphate rock to 
remedy phosphate and magnesium deficiencies in certain agricultural soils. The partial 
solubilisation makes phosphate and magnesium rapidly available to crops for a short 
period, whereas the non-solubilis ed constituents provide a slower but more sustained 
supply of phosphate and magnesium. Both phosphate and magnesium nutrients should be available in a single  fertiliser type in orde r to benefit farmers. 
(4) Magnesium sulphate is a secondary nutrien t fertiliser type list ed in A nnex I to 
Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003. Article 20 of that Regulation perm its the addition of 
micro-nutrients to all secondary nutrient  fertiliser types. However, the minimum 
                                                
 
1 OJ L 304, 21.11.2003, p. 1.  
EN 3   EN content of sulphur trioxide and magne sium oxide laid down for the existing 
magnesium sulphate fertiliser type is se t too high to allow the addition of micro-
nutrients. Due to a growing interest in ba lanced plant nutriti on the use of micro-
nutrients has increased. A blend of magnesi um sulphate with micro-nutrients would 
make it easier for farmers to use such micronutrients. The magnesium sulphate fertiliser type should therefore be revised to allow mixtures of magnesium sulphate 
with micro-nutrients to be ma rketed as “EC fertiliser”. 
(5) Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 give s technical provisions for the control 
of ammonium nitrate fertilisers of high nitroge n content. It should be  clarified that the 
methods of analysis may be used for the different ammonium nitrate fertiliser forms 
(prills or granules). Furthermore, those desc riptions of the analysis methods make use 
of obsolete units of pressure ra ther than the current SI units. 
(6) Article 29(2) to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 re quires that controls of EC fertilisers 
belonging to fertiliser type s listed in Annex I to th at Regulation are made in 
accordance with the methods of analysis that are described in detail in Annexes III and 
IV to that Regulation. As  those methods are not inte rnationally recognised, the 
European Committee for Standardisation (C EN) was mandated to develop equivalent 
EN standards to replace the existing methods. 
(7) As a partial outcome of the CEN Mandate  M/335 concerning the modernisation of 
analytical methods on fertilisers and limi ng materials, 20 EN standards have been 
developed and should be introduced in A nnex IV to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003. 
Some of those standards should replace existi ng methods of analysis, whilst others are 
new. 
(8) Validated methods published as EN Standa rds usually include a ring test (inter-
laboratory test) to check th e reproducibility of the an alytical methods between 
different laboratories. Howe ver, a preliminary evaluatio n of the methods to be 
introduced in the mandate showed that some of them are little used. In this case, an 
editorial revision was found sufficient a nd no ring test was deemed necessary. A 
distinction between validat ed EN Standards and non-validated methods should 
therefore be made to help to identify th e EN Standards which have undergone an inter-
laboratory test to correctly inform controlle rs about the statistical  reliability of EN 
standards. 
(9) To simplify legislation and fac ilitate future revision, it is ap propriate to replace the full 
text of the standards in Annex IV to Regul ation (EC) No 2003/2003 with references to 
the EN standards to be published by CEN. 
(10) Article 30 of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 re quires laboratories to be competent and 
approved by a Member State when they carry  out analysis on fertilisers samples for 
official controls. Such approved laboratori es must meet the accreditation standards 
mentioned in Section B of Annex V. Since accreditation has proved in practice to take 
longer than originally fore seen, Annex V should be amended to ensure efficient 
control actions by allowing Memb er States to authorise labor atories that are competent 
for official controls, but not yet accredited. 
(11)
 Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly.  
EN 4   EN (12) The measures provided for in this Regulati on are in accordance with the opinion of the 
Committee established by Article 32  of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
(1) Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 is amended in accordance with Annex I to 
this Regulation. 
(2) Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 is amended in accordance with Annex II 
to this Regulation. 
(3) Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 is  amended in accordance with Annex III 
to this Regulation. 
(4) Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 is amended in accordance with Annex IV 
to this Regulation. 
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of  the European Union . 
This Regulation shall be binding in  its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 
Done at Brussels, […] 
 For the Commission 
 Günter Verheugen  Vice President  
EN 5   EN ANNEX I  
Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 is amended as follows: 
(1) in Table A.2, the following entry 3(a) is inserted: 
“ 
No Type designation Data on method of 
production and essential 
ingredients Minimum nutrient content 
(percentage by weight) 
Data on the expression of 
nutrients, other requirements Other data on the type 
designation Nutrient content to be 
declared 
Forms and solubilities of the 
nutrients 
Other criteria 
1 2 3 4 5 6 
3(a) Partially solubilised 
rock phosphate with magnesium. Product obtained by partial 
solubilisation of ground rock 
phosphate with sulphuric 
acid or phosphoric acid with 
the addition of magnesium sulphate or magnesium oxide, and containing as essential ingredients monocalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, calcium sulphate and magnesium sulphate. 16 % P
2O5, 
6 % MgO. 
Phosphorus expressed as 
P2O5 soluble in mineral 
acids, at least 40 % of the declared content of P
2O5 
being water-soluble. 
Particle size: 
– at least 90 % able to pass 
through a sieve with a mesh of 0,160 mm, 
– at least 98 % able to pass 
through a sieve with a mesh of 0,630 mm.  Total phosphorus pentoxide 
(soluble in mineral acids). 
Phosphorus pentoxide 
soluble in water. 
Total magnesium oxide. Water-soluble magnesium 
oxide.  
EN 6   EN ” 
(2) in Table D, entry 5 is replaced by the following: 
“ 
No Type designation Data on method of 
production and essential 
ingredients Minimum content of 
nutrients 
(percentage by weight) 
Data on the expression of 
nutrients 
Other requirements Other data on the type 
designation Nutrient content to be 
declared 
Forms and solubilities of the 
nutrients 
Other criteria 
1 2 3 4 5 6 
5 Magnesium sulphate. Product containing 
heptahydrated magnesium sulphate as main ingredient.15 % MgO, 
28 % SO
3. 
Where micronutrients are 
added, and declared in accordance with Article 6(4) and 6(6):  
10 % MgO, 
17 % SO
3. 
Magnesium and sulphur 
expressed as water-soluble magnesium oxide and sulphur trioxide. The usual trade names may 
be added. Water-soluble magnesium 
oxide. 
Water-soluble sulphur 
trioxide. 
”  
EN 7   EN ANNEX II  
Section 3 of Annex III to Regulation (E C) No 2003/2003 is amended as follows: 
(1) In Method 2, point 6.2 is replaced by the following:  
 “6.2. Remove particles smaller than 0.5 mm us ing the test sieve (5.4). Weigh to the 
nearest 0.01 gram approximately 50 grams of the sample into the beaker (5.2). Add sufficient gas oil (section 4) to cover the prills or granules completely and stir 
carefully to ensure that the surfaces of all the pr ills or granules are fully wetted. Cover 
the beaker with a watch glass and leave to stand for one hour at 25 (± 2) °C.” 
(2) In Method 3, point 4.3.5 is replaced by the following:  
 “4.3.5. Dreschel bottle D acting as a trap for any excess of acid which may distil 
over.” 
(3) In Method 3, the first paragraph of point 5.2 is replaced by the following:  
 “5.2. Place the sample for analysis in the r eaction flask B. Add 100 ml of H2SO4(3.2). 
The prills or granules dissolve in about 10 minutes at ambient temperature. Assemble 
the apparatus as indicated in the diagram: connect one end of the absorption tube (A) 
to the nitrogen source (4.2) via a non-retu rn flow device containing a pressure of 667 
to 800 Pa and the other end to the feed t ube which enters the reaction flask. Place the 
Vigreux fractionating column (C') and the c ondenser (C) with cooling water supply in 
position. Adjust the nitrogen to provide a moderate flow through the solution, bring 
the solution to boiling point and heat for tw o minutes. At the end of this time there 
should be no more effervescence. If efferv escence is seen, continue heating for 30 
minutes. Allow solution to cool for at l east 20 minutes with the nitrogen flowing 
through it.”  
EN 8   EN ANNEX III  
Section B of Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 is amended as follows: 
(1) Method 1 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 1 
Preparation of the sample for analysis 
EN 1482-2: Fertilizers and limi ng materials-Sampling and sample  preparation-Part2: Sample 
preparation" 
(2) Methods 2 are replaced as follows: 
(a)  Method 2.1 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 2.1 
Determination of ammoniacal nitrogen 
EN 15475: Fertilizers - Determin ation of ammoniacal nitrogen 
This method of analysis has been ring tested." 
(b)  Method 2.2.1 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 2.2.1 
Determination of nitric and ammoniacal nitrogen according to Ulsch 
EN 15558: Fertilizers - Determin ation of nitric and ammoniacal  nitrogen according to Ulsch 
This method of analysis has not been ring tested." 
(c)  Method 2.2.2 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 2.2.2 
Determination of nitric and ammoniacal nitrogen according to Arnd 
EN 15559: Fertilizers – Determin ation of nitric and ammoniacal  nitrogen according to Arnd 
This method of analysis has not been ring tested." 
(d)  Method 2.2.3 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 2.2.3 
Determination of nitric acid and ammo niacal nitrogen according to Devarda 
EN 15476: Fertilizers - Determination of nitr ic and ammoniacal nitrogen according to 
Devarda  
EN 9   EN This method of analysis has been ring tested." 
(e)  Method 2.3.1 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 2.3.1 
Determination of the total nitrogen in calcium cyanamide nitrate free 
EN 15560: Fertilizers - Determinat ion of total nitrogen in ca lcium cyanamide nitrate free 
This method of analysis has not been ring tested" 
(f)  Method 2.3.2 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 2.3.2 
Determination of total ni trogen in calcium cyanamide containing nitrates 
EN 15561: Fertilizers - Determination of tota l nitrogen in calcium cyanamide containing 
nitrates 
This method of analysis has not been ring tested." 
(g) Method 2.3.3 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 2.3.3 
Determination of tota l nitrogen in urea 
EN 15478: Fertilizers - Determinat ion of total n itrogen in urea 
This method of analysis has been ring tested." 
(h)  Method 2.4 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 2.4 
Determination of cyanamide nitrogen 
EN 15562: Fertilizers - Determin ation of cyanamide nitrogen 
This method of analysis has not been ring tested." 
(i)  Method 2.5 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 2.5 
Spectrophotometric determinat ion of biuret in urea 
EN 15479: Fertilizers - Spect rophotometric determina tion of biuret in urea 
This method of analysis has been ring tested." 
(j)  Method 2.6.1 is replaced by the following:  
EN 10   EN "Method 2.6.1 
Determination of different forms of nitrogen in  the same sample in fertilisers containing 
nitrogen as nitric, ammoniacal, urea and cyanamide nitrogen 
EN 15604: Fertilizers - Determination of differe nt forms of nitrogen in the same sample 
containing nitrogen, as nitric, ammoniacal, urea and cyanamide nitrogen 
This method of analysis has not been ring tested." 
(k) Method 4.1 is replaced by the following: 
"Method 4.1 
Determination of the water- soluble potassium content 
EN 15477: Fertilizers - Dete rmination of the water-soluble potassium content 
This method of analysis has been ring tested." (3) The following methods are added: 
“ 
Methods 11 
Chelating agents 
Method 11.1 
Determination of the chelated micro-nutrient content and of the chelated fraction of 
micro-nutrients 
EN 13366: Fertilizers - Treatment with a cation exchange resin for the determination of the 
chelated micro-nutrient content and of th e chelated fraction of micro-nutrients. 
This method of analysis has been ring tested. 
Method 11.2 
Determination of EDTA, HEDTA and DTPA 
EN 13368-1: Fertilizers - Determination of chelating agents in fertilizers by ion 
chromatography - Part 1: EDTA, HEDTA and DTPA. 
This method of analysis has been ring tested. 
Method 11.3 
Determination of iron chelat ed by o,o EDDHA and o,o EDDHMA  
EN 11   EN EN 13368-2: 2007 Fertilizers - Determination of  chelating agents in fertilizers by 
chromatography. Part 2: Determination of Fe chelated by o,o E DDHA and o,o EDDHMA by 
ion pair-chromatography. 
This method of analysis has been ring tested. 
Method 11.4 
Determination of iron chelated by EDDHSA 
EN 15451: Fertilizers - Determin ation of chelating agents-Det ermination of iron chelated by 
EDDHSA by ion pair-chromatography. 
This method of analysis has been ring tested. 
Method 11.5 
Determination of iron chelated by o,p EDDHA 
EN 15452: Fertilizers - Determin ation of chelating agents-Det ermination of iron chelated by 
o,p EDDHA by reversed phase HPLC. 
This method of analysis has been ring tested. 
Methods 12 
Nitrification and urease inhibitors 
Method 12.1 
Determination of dicyandiamide 
EN 15360: Fertilizers - Determination of di cyandiamide – Method using high-performance 
liquid chromatography (HPLC). 
This method of analysis has been ring tested. 
Method 12.2 
Determination of NBPT 
EN 15688: Fertilizers - Determin ation of urease inhibitor N-(n -butyl)thiophosphoric triamide 
(NBPT) using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). 
This method of analysis has been ring tested. 
Methods 13 
Heavy metals 
Method 13.1 
Determination of cadmium content  
EN 12   EN EN 14888: Fertilizers and lim ing materials - Determina tion of cadmium content. 
This method of analysis has been ring tested. ”  
EN 13   EN ANNEX IV  
Section B of Annex V to Regulation (EC)  No 2003/2003 is replaced by the following: 
“B. REQUIREMENTS  TO AUTHORISE  LABORATORIES  THAT  ARE  
COMPETENT  TO PROVIDE  THE  NECESSARY  SERVICE  FOR  CHECKING  
COMPLIANCE  OF EC FERTILISERS  WITH  THE  REQUIREMENTS  OF 
THIS  REGULATION  AND  ITS  ANNEXES. 
(1) Standard applicable at the level of the laboratories. 
• Laboratories accredited in accord ance with EN ISO/IEC 17025, General 
requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laborator ies, for at least 
one of the methods of Annexes III and IV. 
• Until [five years after entry into force of  this Regulation*], laboratories not yet 
accredited provided that the laboratory: 
– Demonstrates that it has initiated and is pursuing the necessary accreditation 
procedures in accordance with EN ISO/ IEC 17025 in one or more of the methods 
of Annexes III and IV, and 
– Provides the competent authority with eviden ce that the laboratory is participating 
in inter-laboratory tests with good results. 
(2) Standard applicable at the level of accreditation bodies:  
 
EN ISO /IEC 17011, Conformity assessment: Gene ral requirements for accreditation bodies 
accrediting conformity assessment bodies. 
” *OJ: Please insert date